Why your New Year’s resolution to join the gym is doomed to fail

fitness

by alex mitchell

If you're thinking of picking up an Auld Lang Synerup sheet at your local gym this week, don't worry, experts say. That's a waste of money.

2020 survey of 1,700 people I found out that new year, new me The crowd (the group that rushes back to the gym as an annual resolution after too many holidays) are much less likely to maintain a regular fitness regime than those who join the gym in the spring or fall.

People who went to the gym in the winter only went an average of 2.9 times a month, compared to people who went to the gym an average of 4.5 times a month in the spring or fall.

“At this time of year, there are strong messages of 'new you' and 'fresh start' that may encourage people to take up gym memberships,” said lead researcher Matthew Rand from the University of Sheffield. the doctor said. told the Daily Mail.

“However, this motivation, which comes from social pressures and emotions at the beginning of the year, may not be as strong as the motivation to enroll at other times of the year, because you are personally more fit and healthy. Because I decided it was necessary.”

He added that some people may lose the motivation to join a gym after January, so it's best to join in the winter and hit the gym while the treadmill is hot.

“But for many people, participating in the spring makes them more likely to participate more often and stick with it, because it's not just a New Year's resolution,” Dr. Rand added, noting that people They suggested starting their fitness routine before January, so they're already in the rhythm after the ball drops on January 1st.

“Ideally, you want people to go to the gym just because they normally go to the gym at a certain time on a certain day, such as before work. They want to do the same activity at the same time. Repetition can help make a habit stick. It becomes an automatic behavior.”

According to the study, attendance was higher for people with pious practices.

Researchers also found that only about a fifth of people stick to their fitness goals for more than a year after joining a gym. Additionally, weekly work hours typically decrease dramatically from month 1 to month 2.

“The reality is that many people pay to not go to the gym, even though they are determined to become healthier,” Dr. Rand said.